SeaDAS Banner Image

Annotate Widget


 

Description:  The Annotate Widget provides the capability of annotating primarily the main display window although the roam and zoom windows may also be annotated.  Annotation objects are text, lines, arrows, polygons (filled and non-filled), circles/ellipses and rectangles.  The annotation items are stored internally as objects (not bitmaps) and objects can be modified, deleted or added at any time during a single seadisp session.  Annotation objects will be recognized as objects between multiple invocations of the Annotate Widget within a single seadisp session.

To save annotated objects as objects (not bitmap graphics) between seadisp sessions, it is currently necessary to use the File->Save As and File->Load options in the Annotate Widget.  The Functions->Output graphics capability found in the Display Window Widget currently saves all graphics as bitmaps (including any displayed annotated objects).

Basic annotation functions can be activated from the Display Window Widget by selecting:

Annotate Roam Window:  The annotation objects reside concurrently for both the main display window and roam windows in two different scales. This is necessary since subsampled annotated objects are in many cases unrecognizable.  When objects are annotated within the main display window, a true scaled annotated object is concurrently displayed in the sub-sampled roam window and vice versa.  You can choose to work in either scale or both scales, whichever makes sense for your application.

Annotate Zoom Window:   You can annotate within the zoom window and output the high resolution zoom window and graphics via the Functions->Output option by specifying to output the zoom window.  However, you will have to do this before exiting the Annotation Widget.  Since annotated objects aren't saved at a higher scale than the full resolution window, the annotated objects will appear at a lower resolution once the objects are applied at the display window scale and re-zoomed.

Note:  This is a modified version of RSI's Annotate procedure.

Action items:
File
Load Load in an annotation object graphics file.
Save As Save the currently displayed objects into an annotation object graphics file.
Clear Clear all graphics objects from the window.
Exit Destroy the Annotation Widget.
Options This button shows postscript options down in the object option area.  This should be removed since the postscript output option has been removed.
Save Save the current working annotation object.  This is the same as clicking the right mouse button.  You must save an object before creating a new one.  If you switch object types before saving the current object, the current object will be deleted. (This is how to delete an object by the way).
Mode Select a mode to work in.
 
Draw Add a new object.
Select  Make an existing object editable for modification or deletion. Once selected, an object must be resaved.
Edit An informational mode showing that the current annotation object is in edit mode and has edit handles.  Once an existing item is Selected, the mode is automatically switched to edit mode. (Do not press the Edit button to try and edit an object. Press Select.)

NOTE:  To delete an object, Select it and then switch object types without saving the object first.  Use the middle mouse button to toggle between Draw and Edit modes.
Mouse buttons Refer to RSI's IDL HELP button for specifics on mouse button meanings for each annotation object.
 
Left Click or click and drag to initially place an object.  Some objects such as ellipses or rectangles need to be initally clicked to place and then dragged to define their size.  On editable objects, drag the left mouse button to resize or re-orient the object. In general, drag the center handle to move the entire object without resizing or re-orienting.  Drag a corner handle to resize or re-orient an object.
Middle  Toggle between Draw Mode and Edit Mode.
Right Save the current annotation object.  You must save an object before creating a new one.
Objects Refer to RSI's IDL HELP button for more details on the annotation objects.
 
Text (Abc) Annotate with text.
Line/Arrows Annotate with lines or arrows.
Polygon/Blotch Annotate with polygons or blotches.
Circle/Ellipse Annotate with circles or ellipses.
Rectangle Annotate with rectangles.

NOTE: Different options will be displayed down in the object option area depending on which of these objects is selected.
Color Select a color(1 to 7) to use for the current object.
Linestyle Select a linestyle to use for the current object:
  • Solid
  • Dots
  • Dashes
  • Dash-Dot
  • Dash-3 Dots
  • Long Dash
Thickness Select a line thickness for the current object(0-200).
Information Area There is an output text area in the middle of the annotation widget between the general options and the object-dependent options. This is used to display the cursor position in pixel coordinates and as a general message area.
Object Option Area Each annotation object has its own set of possible options.  The option section for each type of object is located below the Information Area.  See the IDL HELP button for a complete description of these options within the description of each object type.
Quit Destroy the Annotate Widget.
Help Show this online help page in HTML viewer.
IDL Help Display RSI's help for their Annotate function.  This can be helpful for a detailed description of the different objects and how to manipulate them. Some of the output options (such as postscript and bitmap output) have been removed since a more integrated output function exists in the Functions->Output option in the Display Window Widget.

Curator: OceanColor Webmaster

Authorized by: gene carl feldman

NASA logo

Privacy Policy and Important Notices

Updated: Monday, 15-Dec-2008 16:03:12 EST